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The Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report. It would be grateful to be provided with fuller information on the following points.

Article 2 of the Convention. Legislation respecting the medical certificates issued for fishers. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a Bill is currently being prepared to harmonize the criteria and activities to be undertaken in maritime health centres, based on experience and the problems encountered in practice, as well as on the 1997 ILO/WHO Guidelines for conducting pre-sea and periodic medical fitness examinations for seafarers. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any development in this field and to provide a sample with its next report of the certificate attesting to fitness for work on a fishing vessel.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the statistical data provided in the Government’s report on the medical examinations carried out between 2001 and 2005. It would be grateful if the Government would continue providing general information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice including, for instance, the number of professional fishers covered by the Convention and statistics on the number of medical examinations carried out and medical certificates issued each year, extracts from the reports of the inspection services, and information concerning the number and nature of the contraventions reported and the penalties imposed.